Scriptwriter-director Nader Saeivar is known for his collaboration with Iranian film luminary Jafar Panah, who has also visited Sodankylä. Panah was also involved in writing the script for Saeivar’s latest film, The Witness, which won an award in Venice and was inspired by the fight for women’s freedom in Iran. Retired dance teacher Tarlan (Maryam Boubani) witnesses the ongoing abuse and eventual possible murder of her close friend (Hana Kamkar). Behind the violence is her friend’s husband (Nader Naderpour), who works for the government. To get justice Tarlan does everything she can, despite opposition from social forces.
Like Panah, Saeivar uses a documentary approach in his film, drawing parallels between the struggle for freedom and the expressive power of dance as a means of resisting oppressive legislation. The film depicts intergenerational relationships in a changing culture where various interdependencies drive individuals’ actions. However, its cinematography emphasises Tarlan’s loneliness.
The Witness shifts into a universal social crime drama comparable to the award-winning works of Mohammad Rasoulof and Asghar Farhadi. The Witness inspires faith in the resistance against an oppressive system through individual perseverance, organisation, and Gandhian non-violent resistance.
Tuomo Marttila